The Family Bookshop, one of the oldest and most popular English bookshops in Kuwait closed down for good eight years ago. Just before they closed down I passed by and took photos of the place. I shared some of the photos back then but since it was National Bookshop Day a few days ago, I wanted to re-upload all the photos I took that day. The photos below are in higher resolution than the previous ones I had published and I’m also sharing all the photos I took that day, not just some of them. So check them out below.
15 replies on “Flashback: The Family Bookshop”
I loved this place <3 I'd get so excited when my mum would take us! I still have so many of my childhood books.
Just on a separate note: Do you know why The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf closed down and the building demolished (all of a sudden I might add)? That used to be a great location to visit and so many memories.
did they build anything instead or is it just closed?
Building got demolished
What a rush of memories. I used to go there and read Archie comics secretly when I was 10-12 years old.
Such wonderful memories. My go to place in the 70s, 80s & 90s for Archie’s comics, Asteroid, Tintin and Danielle Steel novels. Even if we couldn’t afford them, we would just spend time browsing, checking out the greeting cards. I remember the owner as well. Took some pics of the place before it was demolished, as if a part of my childhood was erased.
Is there any other book shop like that?
There’s Better Books in Salmiya, they sell new and mostly used books, there’s Spectrawide in Salmiya Fashion Way complex that sells new books, but mostly Children’s. There’s also Q8Books in Yarmouk Cultural Center, which sells new and used books similarly to Better Books.
My favorite bookshop right now would have to be the one inside Jashanmal in 360 Mall.
Agreed! Love that place.
Mark – what about Manar Bookshop??!!
My go-to place when I was a teenager in the 80’s.
I still remember when we all used to rush there during our break from school. Lost all of them during the invasion.
I remember buying two issues of Archie’s Weird Mysteries on different occasions and one issue of Jetsons back around 2004/2005, I think. The last time I was there was just before they closed down and it was a sad sight to see with all the old yellowing books left unsold, and the place was very stuffy with the smell of them. I remember they used to sell the latest magazines and comics, but when I visited then there was nothing of the sort. Now, the place and everything with it is gone so they could make an unfinished building. I don’t know why they just didn’t refurbish everything instead.
Thank for sharing these pics, lived in Salmiya opposite Indian School(girls school) in the 70s. Remember purchasing comics, Archie and super hero stuff. Lots of memories. Sad to know that the buildings are now demolished. Do you pics of the shawarma stall that was on the street. Thanks again.
The Shawerma place Barakat? No i don’t, could never find